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times an unfortunate speculation. Our EsSAYISTS Would naturally avail themselves of incidents like this, which every day produced, which were generally made public, and which afforded so happy a mixture of the serious and jocose, exhibited such a variety of characteristic foibles, so many traits of affectation, and such modifications of avarice, simplicity, skill, and weakness, as do not appear in any other business of human life. Accordingly it will be found that a very great proportion of the papers before us, are devoted to the service of the fair sex; and it is not too much to assert, that they have dif fused a knowledge and experience respecting the dangers and embarrassments of love, and a sense of propriety and decorum, the benefits of which are incalculable, and have left the objects of their instructions with no other plea for frailty, than that which wisdom itself cannot always resist, the violence of passion, or the vigour of temptation.

JEALOUSY enters so deeply into every species of gallantry as to afford another very fertile source of humorous character and observation, as well as of more grave and important discussion. When it has occupied à weak mind, or is unchecked by reflection, no passion leads to more serious evils, or has produced more varied scenes of domestic misery. The writers of tragedy and comedy have accordingly amply availed themselves of it, and there are few plots contrived by the

latter without a mixture of this passion pro ducing humorous perplexities and involutions of incident, which never fail to please on

the stage.

MARRIAGE has been considered by our ESSAYISTS in every possible light. The various circumstances* which constitute its happiness or misery, are illustrated by examples sketched with singular humour and acknowledged fidelity; and the operations of temper are displayed in a variety of relations, which all who are acquainted with mankind will acknowledge to be common, and without exaggeration. The dignity of the state is at the same time vindicated from the sneers of libertines by fair argument and pathetic representation, as well as by powerful ridicule; and the miseries of illicit connexions are displayed with a force of conviction to which none can be insensible, but whose corrupted habits have placed them beyond all warning, and all instruction. So attentive have our authors been to the various circumstances which affect the happiness of the married

* JOHNSON, in speaking of the objects of POPE'S "Rape of the Lock," and Boileau's "Lutrin," has a sentiment, which I hope I shall be excused for transcribing. "The freaks, and humours, and spleen, and vanity of women, as they embroil families in discord, and fill houses with disquiet, do more to obstruct the happiness of life in a year, than the ambition of the clergy in many centuries. It has been well observed, that the misery of man proceeds not from any single crush of overwhelming evil, but from small vexations continually repeated."

state, and so copious are their examples and authorities, that perhaps few cases can be mentioned in more recent times, and under the prevalence of altered modes of thinking and acting, for which a precedent may not be found in these volumes.

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The influence of FRIENDSHIP upon the state of society presents us with another series of characters and remarks, of great importance to those who are entering into life, and who are more liable to mistakes in forming early connexions, than to any other of the evils of inexperience. Its nature and properties are accordingly frequently discussed, and the various kinds of pretended attachments, and disguised selfishness, traced to their source, and exposed to contempt or ridicule. Such instructions supply a very necessary branch of that knowledge of the world' which is generally purchased at a much higher expence, aud which men of loose principles tell us can never be acquired without an association with the idle and the profligate, and a proportionate sacrifice of time and character. The subject, however, has certainly been better understood since the appearance of these works. The world is taught to distinguish between the attachments of real friendship and the many disguises which pass by the name. We now find fewer instances of romantic friendship, of unreasonable expectations from beings fallible and various in temper, or of those ill

founded hopes which, meeting with disap pointment, introduce a species of misanthropy, and a dislike of life, merely because life cannot give more than it was intended to give. It must be confessed indeed that modern novels, a species of composition unknown to our ESSAYISTS, have produced affectations of feeling and sensibility that still require the chastisement of an humorous pen: but they are seldom of long duration, and, like other kinds of vanity, disappear when they fail in attracting notice. All affectation is made for show; and is something in the drawing-room or the park, but nothing in the closet.

Before the appearance of the ESSAYISTS, few moral writers had penetrated into DOMESTIC CIRCLES, but contented themselves with general dissuasives from the encouragement of the malevolent passions. Pride, envy, and revenge, were justly exposed, as pernicious to man and offensive to the Deity. But these instructors, as we have already observed in other cases, frequently failed to produce amendment, by being too general, and their works were not probably in many hands. The distribution of popular instruction, at stated times and at easy rates, is that which distinguishes the ESSAYISTS from all other writers, which has enabled them to go along with the age, and afforded them opportunities to simplify their subjects to the meanest comprehension. The early ESSAYISTS also se

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lected specific cases, and applied them to the business and bosoms' of their readers; and shewed, by apt examples, in how many cases, envy, pride, and revenge, appear in the disguise of emulation, dignity, and justice. No general declamation could familiarize these truths to common minds. It was necessary to follow the reader to his closet, his counting-house, his family, and even to the and the altar. In this extensive range, topics of ridicule could never be wanting to men of such pregnant wit and turn for observation as the authors of the TATLER and SPECTATOR; and it will be found that the crimes or whims of pride, envy, and revenge, occupy no inconsiderable part of their lucubrations, and afford some of the most striking pictures of real life, and displays of genuine humour.

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Connected with REVENGE, are the various phenomena of courage and cowardice, two qualities which, on certain occasions, form one of the grand divisions of mankind, but which are in general so mixed and shaded as to require great accuracy of distinction. In separating the merits of true courage from the glare of the false, and in recommending that only useful valour which gives a daring to the mind in defiance of the custom of the world, and the contempt of fools, our ESSAYISTS have earned their best fame. If the custom of the world is in many cases still too powerful, it is at least without excuse. Men may be pre

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